Site Navigation

Site Mobile Navigation

Bright Spots Amid Low Ratings for ‘Hannibal’

The ratings for the NBC drama “Hannibal,” which stars Mads Mikkelsen as the serial killer Hannibal Lecter, have almost been as scary as the character himself.

The Season 1 finale on Thursday drew only 1.9 million total viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings, a low for the series. Fortunately for the show and its viewers, it has already been renewed for a second season, currently scheduled for next year, and the poor numbers can be offset by other factors.

The recent drop only occurred when the drama aired opposite the N.B.A. playoffs on ABC. The season finale in particular had little hope of drawing much of an audience: 21.6 million people watched Game 7 of the N.B.A. finals. “Hannibal” hovered between 2.4 and 2.7 million total viewers for seven weeks, suggesting a steady, dedicated fan base.

Another bright spot is the DVR factor, which takes into account viewership within seven days of broadcast: when it comes the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic, those ratings have gone up by an average of 77 percent, the highest percentage increase among all broadcast network programming for the 2012-13 season.